Eleonora Rosamund
Dame Eleonora Rosamund, also known as "Rosamund the Righteous" is a knight from the Central Kingdom. She was once a squire trained under Ser Albert Karalis "The Almighty," and was knighted by him. Currently, Rosamund is mostly situated in Enthiour as a part of the Council. Appearance Eleonora is a woman who stands at average height; around 5'5. She has brunette hair that is normally shoulder-length, but she always ties it up in a bun with a red bow. On occasion, whenever she is off-duty, she may put on attire more fitting for a noble, such as her Victorian-style frilly, large evening gown. She used to be fitted with standard Central Knight armor made for her when she was on-duty, consisting of full-plate armor with chain mail underneath. Most of the time, when she wasn't wearing her armor, she'd be wearing a medium-layered gambeson overcoat with light trousers, leg guards for the front, and thick boots. During her transition as a knight of Middenham, she had armor made from re-purposed parts of her old armor, as well as what Collicham could afford to smith after the crisis. She wore a gorget to protect her neck, along with metal pauldrons on her shoulders. A metal cuirass covered her torso and a large chain mail tunic under it - extending from her neck to her legs. Some lighter gambeson covered just under her shoulder pauldrons, and gambeson trousers. She still had her same boots from before, with greaves protecting her shins. Now, she is a member of the Council member of the Kingdom of Adistone. She dons a thick gambeson with some riveted chainmail covering her torso and arms underneath of it. Under all of that, she wears a thin tunic as well as thick trousers called chausses, which are similar to her gambeson material. She has knee-length boots for riding on horseback and for travel through somewhat harsh terrain like slippery mud. Biography Origins Eleonora Rosamund was born into a noble family in the Central Kingdom. Her mother, Marie Rosamund, was a devout member of the Church of Centralia, and a moderate-leveled herbomancer in her youth. When her mother married a noble man a good few years older than her, she eventually birthed four children. Shortly after Eleonora was born, her father passed away from disease. Marie then went to the church of Centralia to become a priestess and put her known herbomancy to use with making potions and selling them to cure small ailments. Early Life Eleonora was born as the youngest of four; with two older sisters and one older brother. Her brother, Edward, was the defined heir to her family's fortune, though she and her sisters would also get a small share of inheritance from their father's small fortune and their mother's support. With her family more focused on continuing the business in mancy and blacksmithing, her sisters learned about herbomancy to continue in their mother's footsteps. Eleonora, however, found that she really didn't fit in with any of their career paths. With her mother somewhat disappointed in the seemingly lack of caring from her youngest daughter, she sent her over to be a levy in her family's name and try to push her to earn titles and influence for their family. At the least, that's what her mother hoped - that and to build more "character" into Eleonora. Being a nun, she didn't want her daughter to become too spoiled, which was becoming apparent in her nature. If she couldn't become a mancer or help the church as eagerly, then she may as well send her to the Centralian guard for some "motivation." Becoming a Squire Eleonora was conscripted at the age of 16, and actually started out at a slightly later age to train in being a warrior. With no prior knowledge in fighting, she was trained from the ground up as a levy. She was taught to use a longsword with a two-handed style, and like other Central footsoldiers, she also learned to use a crossbow, as it was easier for her than an actual bow. While her aim was mediocre, it was good enough to hit a ranged target, though her swordsmanship took longer to get a hold of. After the same rigorous training over the course of a few years, Eleonora bore the fruit of her labor, with her titles increasing slowly, and her skills improving. It took a long time to get to where she was, but she was getting the hang of at least using a sword, and in duels, she was starting to learn a more defensive style of attack. Although she wasn't the best pick to become a knight, according to others, she was desperate to be destined to do more than just merely guard or patrol the kingdom in her future. Through her training, she'd heard stories of knights in the past doing things she hadn't heard, and they were practically seen as celebrities in some peoples' eyes. After she caught the attention of the fame and titles to be earned, Eleonora warmed up to the idea of knighthood, thinking the "Knight Life" to be suited to her. After asking about which knights had positions open for squires, she contemplated the idea of becoming Ser Albert's squire. Others discouraged her, of course, as it was said nobody could survive his training, and that he had no squires for a reason. Of course, her desires to be a knight got the better of her, thinking it'd be as simple as buying a position and then training as she had done when she was a levy. Unfortunately, it'd be much harder than she imagined, and Ser Albert initially refused her proposal to be his squire. Of course, through time and perseverance (or maybe it was annoyance), she convinced Ser Albert to make her his squire. The Journey to Knighthood He eventually subjected her to harsh torture, not anywhere near his level of training regimen, or Eleonora may have long died throughout the training. However, she had received a rigorous training suited for her, nonetheless, and had helped her to perfect her style of swordsmanship with a two-handed sword. After five years, she had learned a style of swordsmanship suited to her; using both hands to hold her sword and attack, though a bit more defensively. She had also accompanied him to other knightly tasks, such as escorts or joining in caravans and such. Once she was deemed worthy of knighthood, she used a good portion of her inheritance money to fund the creation of her standard Centralian armor, tailored to her measurements. Unfortunately, her coronation as a knight would be halted due to unforeseen circumstances. During the attack of the Black Knights, she was ordered by him to escape outwards and go into hiding, though she wanted to stay and fight. Of course, she headed out of Central's territory, as did her family with their money. To be assured of their safety, they had left farther South from the farmlands to a small summer retreat they had not visited in years. They waited the days out when the Central Kingdom was considered fallen, and it was a harsh time in the entire world for everyone. Of course, Eleonora being as impatient as she was, sent a message to Albert offering to aid in any attacks against the Black Knights and the Dark King, himself. Albert, however, just sent a message telling her to "Stay Away." He was right for her to not be there, of course, as even with help from the Western Kingdom, the rebelling army still suffered many casualties at the hands of the Black Knights, with peasants and other people losing control of their minds and attacking the would-be liberators. With the Dark King in hiding, and Albert successfully reclaiming the kingdom for King Conwyn, the citizens eventually began to return to a more Western Kingdom, but that was merely temporary. Behind her daughter's back, Marie had reached out to the other blacksmiths in her family, Hamilton and Hamlin II. The father-son duo were successful smiths with their own small guild, and she had them forge Eleonora a surprise gift; a sword known as a Godslayer. From the few messages she had gotten from Eleonora's busy life within the Keep's walls, she had recalled her daughter being enamored with a tale of a guild member going down into tales due to their skill and a unique sword they used. It was a popular tale, and sometimes recreations of swords based on the details of the story would be forged. Marie had paid for the creation of such a sword with her family's crest embedded on the hilt of the sword as a emblem. With this sword, she was to be knighted by Ser Albert, although it was done a few weeks after the Black Knights attacked due to the initial grim tones of the city. Eleonora, herself, felt slightly underwhelmed with her knighthood, as she felt she was still too weak to stand against invaders. After hearing the story of the Black Knights, she had no clue how she could counter "mind control," or even an army of peasants. She felt as though the world was changing, and although she still shows the slight carelessness in her behavior, she still knows at the back of her head that even she is fragile in full-plated armor, and she needs to train harder to at least be good enough to save herself and others. With this, Eleonora at least has a motive for going on... although her swordplay was still more mediocre, as noted by the other knights. The Crazed King, Conwyn During the dead of the evening on a foreboding day, King Conwyn Farlon had gone mad by ordering his Harrions - his personal elite guards - to kill most of the soldiers within the keep while they were unarmed, as well as a few knights. The outside guards were also driven off as they set fire to the trees and destroyed the clock tower in the town square. With many knights fleeing Centralia in the chaos, Rosamund managed to escape with her horse, too. While she was lost in the chaos trying to find her family and reach the church, she realized that if she didn't escape, it would mean certain death for all of them. As she left and turned around, she swore that she would be back for her mother and sisters. As the remnants of Central's forces left their own home, the Harrions had cut the gate mechanism's chain, closing off the gate to the keep, entirely. After finally escaping and heading off in the trail of others who had scattered off into the vast lands, Rosamund tread far over the river to the village of Allenstein. While there, she finally took a breather and broke into tears, sitting on the ground in the midst of the other refugees. As she cried, she was surprised to see that Ser Albert Karalis had also made it there. All she could do was confess her powerlessness and how they had lost their own home to their king after trials and turmoil. All Rosamund could say was "...Are we cursed?" "Perhaps, but who said we're doomed?" replied Albert. After finally gaining the courage to at least stand up and prepare for the troubles ahead, she went with Albert to meet the rest of the soldiers who had managed to escape. From this point on, most of the people would come to Allenstein, the River Village, and meet up as a part of the newly-founded Central Rebellion. While Rosamund may have lost a lot of things, she still had her sword, her armor, and her companions, and through this, she felt as if she was ready to take on the burdens ahead. With the help of Ser Gregory Dolfray, Albert, Captain Daeolin Haem, Duke Erik Verner, and more supporters, they formed The Central's Roundtable of Remnants, which was a temporary gathering of former higher-ups within the old Central Kingdom in order to come together with one goal in mind: to kill Conwyn and take back the keep. Our Family Throughout the months, Rosamund engaged within the discussions within the council of the rebellion, and the tense atmosphere could be felt as it loomed over their heads. They each kept coming up with different strategies to reclaim the throne, all of them with various ups and downs. Some alliances were formed, some supplies were borrowed from the Lance Company, and some newcomers and mercenaries joined the ranks of the Rebellion. All in all, despite their progress, the looming concerns and tensions - coupled with a few assassination attempts - brought in a solemn mood among the people over time. Away from their homes and families for so long, they saw the keep as a large peak; a mountain that seemed too high to climb and reach over. Such an obstacle seemed miles away, but it could be seen from their town as a constant reminder of what they had lost, and what they'd likely never reclaim. One of the days during the rebellion, captain Daeolin Haem brought Rosamund to the town's training ring, showing her a young man garbed in Central footsoldier attire. Daeolin introduced Rosamund to the man named Aldren, who he proclaimed to be her new squire. Rosamund was a little hesitant, as she was a recently-appointed knight who had barely made it through Ser Albert Karalis' training. Still, with the rebellion needing more soldiers, and with time being of the essence, she decided to take up arms and train him to become a suitable knight. Surprisingly, Rosamund noticed his prowess with the sword even during sparring. He managed to best her and send her to her limits without any trickery - only through finer swordplay. Throughout the months, as the soldiers, townsfolk, knights, and mercenaries began training and forming small alliances, they managed to feel more and more confident in the upcoming plan to reclaim Central. Eventually, more familiar faces began popping up within the council's meetings, such as Oaken Bane, who was one of Central's information-gatherers and spies. Oaken informed the group that contrary to their belief, Kyra Memphsi - the former advisory of magic - was still alive and well. With a shocking revelation brought to light, news also came of some Easterners providing a few cannons for the siege on the condition that they see Conwyn killed for troubles he had brought them in the past. With such a huge turn of events going on in a short span of time, the residents of the villages began to feel overwhelmed at times, but also more confident that things were going in their favor. In essence, the council would have suggested waiting for Conwyn and his group to starve within the keep before moving in, but the time that would take as well as the looting and rise of thugs within Centralia pushed them to pursue a reasonable time to fight. Looking ahead as the siege was coming up, Rosamund couldn't help but look at the others while they drank and sat at the table. Some of them already nodding off, some of them strict and adamant about strategies, and some of them just joking around. Looking at her fellow knights, squire, nobles, and just even the few enigmatic people who didn't show up often, Rosamund wondered how she ever came to know them. She smiled and took a sip of her own drink, thinking of them as one big family. For some reason, even after the harsh months and training that they went through to prepare for an event that could result in potential massacre, Rosamund felt as if she was more at ease, then. She felt as if, even though the odds were against them, they'd be alright, somehow. They were one big, happy family after all - what could go wrong? ...If only she knew. The Siege of Centralia At last, after ages of preparation and careful, meticulous planning came the date of the foreboding siege. Soldiers and reinforcements alike gathered up in horses and carts, and prepared to move supplies and infantry to the gates of the keep. Moving such a large group of people couldn't possible go unnoticed, so they were prepared to meet resistance as soon as they went into the city's walls. With the Eastern garrison of cannoneers showing up, Eleonora offered to take a position closest to them in order to make sure they got through easily. On top of those that showed up, the Archmancer known as Song who was a former Eastern general made an appearance. After making small talk about paying her back for making her neck ache many seasons ago, they both laughed it off and began to take up position within their respective places. All at once, it seemed the foremost division of knights, soldiers, and mancers had ran ahead through the streets of Centralia. The population of the city was sparse, as those who could've left already had and more of them were bandits or peasants who may be keen on leaving seeing the beginning of the ensuing battle. Eleonora went with the cannoneers, helping to tell others to clear a path for them and make sure there were no immediate threats to them while positioned behind in the town square. As the siege began to commence, the gates to the castle were blown down by the cannons and the collective work of the mancers. Once they began storming the hideaway of Conwyn and his Harrions, the troops recognized something was amiss. The sudden appearance of runeblades shattering and killing men by the droves shocked them, as well as the strange lights being emitted from the castle's windows. It was as if the keep was being set alight with some unknown fire - lights flickering and spreading through from the heavens and around the castle. Eleonora looked to Albert and even Song for answers, and both replied it had been nothing they had seen, before. With lives lost both among the few elite Harrions and the rebels, Conwyn stood up among the rooftop and gazed out at the skirmish. Eventually, once the fighting reached a point to where the rebels gained the upper hand, the keep began shaking and the lights became much more intense. Sensing an imminent danger, the rebels began to storm out of the keep, each one rushing to go down the stairs and some of them even jumping off for the false possibility of safety. Eleonora quickly reattached a rope over the bolt and shot it out of the larger crossbow to the gatehouse of the defensive walls. As Ser Albert came running, he grabbed Oaken and rappelled down with him, and Rosamund followed down with the rope. Seeing the sky turn darker and the lights shining unbearable - as well as all the remaining townspeople screaming and running for the one exit, Rosamund ran out of the town square as she was lost in the chaos. With no time to reach the exit, she found to small buildings and dived into the alleyway, holding herself as she crouched into a ball. Once the shockwave of the rune explosion hit, she was lifted off the ground about a foot and was knocked out, momentarily. Shards of glass, stone bricks, burning wood, and other debris flew around the ruined kingdom. When she regained senses, she slowly stood up, rushing to get out as her body was in pain. She used her sword to steady herself up and walked out of the ruined alleyway and along the opening by the keep's walls. She slowly walked and tread out as the roaring inferno behind her continued to increase in size. She eventually made her way out of the walls, collapsing in the field of wheat along with the other members of the rebellion. With everyone crying hysterically, some solemnly standing by themselves, and others clamoring about as the large collection of people were displaced moving corpses or looking for friends, her vision became blurry. She thought she'd lay in the field of wheat permanently, as her head became too heavy to lift and her body was writhing in agony. As she was about to pass out, she saw Corra, captain of the Harrions, walking past the soldiers in the field. She meekly called out to her, confused, angered, and just muttering out an attempt to say "Why would you do this?" Unfortunately, as Corra noticed her, Eleonora's vision blurred and darkened, and she passed out once more, sleeping permanently as she thought. Not in Central Anymore As Eleonora awoke with a start, she listened to the chatter of a few people as she opened her eyes, again. Not too long after the siege, Eleonora had been told she was in a small coma and missed a few kingdom-changing events. She sat up, albeit with trouble, and made her way over to the others who were in the same room as her. She sat at the table with Jayden Karalis, meeting him for the first time. While she knew Ser Albert had a son, she had only heard of him through his ramblings when he was either drinking or offhandedly during their training. Eleonora had broken a few of her ribs, had some burn scars along her left arm, had a twisted ankle, and a slight concussion. While she was certainly injured and in no condition to fight, she had learned that she had been in the care of two carnomancers as well as having traditional treatment for her injuries. After talking to some of these people at the table, a few of them being former soldiers of Centralia, she learned that she was in Collicham. The village in the forest that was right at the East's doorstep was where she was taken, as well as other injured people of the siege. After talking a bit with Jayden about his father, and being notified about Allenstein's relation to Collicham, it was the first time she had heard the term "Middenham" uttered. Unfortunately, this was the point at which she confirmed that it wasn't a dream, and that Centralia truly had been decimated in a catastrophic explosion. With this, a lot of the former kingdom was now displaced and in the attempts to ease up on the unrest, the proposition of a new, albeit smaller kingdom of Middenham was proposed. While it sounded funny to Eleonora then, she'd have no idea for the stranger revelations to come. After another disheveled man entered the guard house where she was sitting, he took a seat next to her. When he spoke to her, El was nearly brought to tears as she realized it was Aldren - the squire she was supposed to look after. Noting that he had lost one of his arms and an eye, she had felt like a failure of a knight... although she couldn't exactly say she was a knight, anymore. Seeing as how he was now one-armed, he expressed how he didn't blame her for losing a limb, and how a lot of people didn't make it out of the battle. With his intent on finding a flectomancer for a new arm brought to light, Eleonora looked at her own wounds and wondered what she'd do after they healed. Eleonora also learned her armor was taken, as it was partially ruined and was likely to be re-purposed for other armor. What saddened her the most was her loss of the sword her mother gave her; likely stolen or just lost during the entire ordeal of transporting the injured. All in all, the only thing she truly had left from those days was her old helmet. She stared at it, partially rusted and the paint chipping, looking on at how it was worn out just like her. We Were Soldiers As time progressed and Middenham became more established, Rosamund was finding her place within this society, again. She had her armor tailored for her and given back, along with a broadsword. To accommodate for the slightly different weapon, she also gained a roundshield and began learning how to defend herself from lows, more effectively. As she was tasked with basic guarding on her first day, she was joyful to see a few others whom she had thought had died from the siege. Captain Daeolin lived and offered her some work in Allenstein, and others from the siege eventually met up and made small talk with her. It was only later that night that she'd finally met Gregory, who then offered her inside one of the houses for a talk. As she had gazed at his crown, she had thought it was some craft he had practiced and made, but it was only after joking around about it that Gregory told her for the first time that he was now a proclaimed king of this small, recovering nation. Eleonora took it as a bit of shock, seeing as how her friend who had gone through many hardships and pain now had the burden of an ailing kingdom over his shoulders. He told Eleonora that he needed people he could trust as well as experienced members to help him in reshaping Middenham. She was offered the position of a marshal in order to train troops across the towns. Eleonora looked down in a somber manner, thinking of her former squire, Aldren. She had hesitated at taking the offer, stating how she felt she wasn't ready for it. At that moment, not only did her old wounds ache, but so did her heart. She told Gregory how the times had changed and how she longs to reminisce about the easier days when they were all knights. Of course, King Gregory Dolfray told her that even though he was her friend and former knight, as a king, he told her to do something not for his sake, but for the sake of everyone in the lands. After King Gregory took his leave, quickly, Rosamund looked back at her helmet, slightly rusted and chipped. She thought back on Daeolin's offer, and decided to help train some troops and peasants alike in Allenstein, since it was closest to the West. She'd also go and train troops within Collicham in order to make sure that in any great event, she'd be ready. Now, after having gotten wind of her mother's death and her older brother's isolation, she feels as though her immediate family is a bit shattered. Her older sisters, alive and well, are devout members of the Dahearist Church, with its presence in Allenstein and other Central towns. Although their bonds aren't the best right now, Eleonora thinks it's no different from Middenham; at the moment, it's crippled, but in time they will all achieve a better future over the horizon. As Eleonora worked towards this goal and seeks to find Aldren and make him into a better swordsman, too. She now feels as though within a short time, she understood what Ser Albert felt ages ago. The Middlemen As the few months passed by, Eleonora was, for the most part, relieved at the quietness of the towns. Without much going on, she went on and tried to do her duties as a marshal, but all of this would promptly be stopped before she knew it. As an army was amassed, the new forces moved on from Allenstein and passed Tanis, taking manpower from the towns with them. As the revolt against the current king, Gregory, approached the nearly evacuated town of Collicham, Rosamund was at a loss. She searched for Gregory, whom she found by the roots of a large tree, murmuring and praying without being moved from the spot. His wife, the Queen, accompanied him by his side and couldn't move him from the area. Rosamund, of course, panicked as the army was said to have been on their way to Collicham. With the sudden appearance of Kyra Memphsi, who suggested they run, but the Queen of Middenham denied that idea. As the army was nearing the path on the horizon, Rosamund felt her heart sink. With the Queen being adamant on a surrender to prevent her peoples' lives from being killed, Rosamund couldn't help but want to back her. Not only was she royalty in the peoples' eyes, but she didn't want to see more unnecessary bloodshed. She was torn between either guarding the Queen or her old friend Gregory, but she prayed and quickly followed the Queen. After a bloodied, beaten boy limped to her, she was surprised to see it was her old squire, Aldren. He informed her of the chaos up ahead that was headed this way. Although she was worried for him, she couldn't help but smile at seeing him alive - same as after the original failed siege. She quickly took some bread from the vacant baker's shop, hoping she'd be forgiven later as she handed it to him to eat. She instructed him to wait for her and prepare to evacuate with another Dahearist priest. As the Queen brazenly walked to the approaching army, she met directly with the attackers - armed with many men and cannons. She offered a cease-fire and a surrender to finish evacuating those who didn't choose to leave. As Aldren and the priest were evacuated alongside her, she was horrified when she saw a long arrow fire with a trajectory from Collicham. Some soldiers who were more loyal to the king and decreed that they'd fight until they died were openly attacking on the attackers. What followed was nothing short of a massacre, with the cannons firing and destroying most of the town. Horrified at the sight, the priest, Aldren, and Eleonora widened their eyes, shocked as the enemy forces invaded the town and left it in smoke. When the mess cleared up, and Colicham was beginning to be repaired under the name of Enthiour, Eleonora went back to the large tree's roots. Seeing the aftermath of the destruction, and the end of a short reign wasn't what got to her. Even though Central fell time and time again, and switched banners, what got her the most was seeing Gregory - her former friend from knighthood - die. The memories of the three of them; Albert, Gregory, and her just brought her to tears. Eleonora wept at the grave of Gregory, not understanding what his final moments were like, dealing with the death of his son, a loss of his family, and finally his end. She cried and missed those simpler times, but as the candles of people burn longer in their world, they eventually melt until their flames are extinguished. One by one, Eleonora felt those lights begin to go out in the life around her. Still, while she felt shame for surrendering to Enthiour so easily, she never forgot the Queen's intentions, nor did she want to give up at least serving her people so that they may live. With news of great changes happening in the government of the new Kingdom of Adistone, Eleonora decided to go away from Enthiour as it was being rebuilt. She spent some time in Tanis, speaking to Jayden and Daeolin as they spoke of the reforms. With news of the duke of Tanis being replaced, there was also a call for a newfound council to form. Now donning one of her old, rather cumbersome dresses, Eleonora sought to go back to the capital of Enthiour in a few days' time to apply and show that she could lead, now. Of course, after riding to Enthiour and having the King interview a large group of people for the position of duke/ duchess, Eleonora wasn't having a good day. The constant rain and unstable, muddy ground made her shoes dirtied and caused her to have to carry the hem of her dress a bit to prevent it from being ruined. The constant running around in the barn and humid temperature within the crowd made her hair a bit messy, causing stress. She couldn't help but listen in on all of the qualified individuals, each one possessing more leadership quality in being a duke. Of course, what surprised her the most was seeing the king for the first time; his name being Toni. The name was familiar, and of course she was told that he was a former member of the Centralian council. She reminisced of her times as a knight again, remembering that he had escaped from Centralia and his whereabouts were unknown to the invading Westerners. She was surprised that someone other than Kyra could escape and remain hidden for long, as well as rally troops to form their own newfound kingdom. All this thinking, of course, almost led to her spacing out as she heard her name called. Standing in front of the King, she announced herself clearly as "Dame Eleonora Rosamund," implying her resolve to be a duchess. After the rest of the interviews were over, and some rather humorous occurrences, she felt a bit more relieved at the atmosphere's change. She spoke to Toni a little later and was asked to keep in touch for the position of a council member. With that business finished, she eventually took her position as council member, returning to Tanis to meet with her friends to share the news. Of course, a series of sudden events would unfold that would surprise her. When going to speak with Ser Jayden, Daeolin, and Aldren, they witnessed a scene in the streets. King Toni was supposedly attacked by a pickpocket, whom he had sent to the floor as the rain poured. While everyone crowded and stared on as he put his sword defensively on the boy on the ground, Rosamund leapt through the crowd and covered the boy with her body. She didn't know exactly why she did this, and in such a crucial moment. All she knew was that he was a younger child, who for some reason looked "familiar." After moment of painstaking silence and holding the boy on the ground, she felt her dress become soaked and stained with mud. She asked the king for forgiveness, and for this child to be escorted to the guard house to be held. Of course, Toni told her to take him up and follow her in there, as she waited by the cell where he was placed. When Toni asked if the boy was her child, she denied - stating he only seemed like a young child worth protecting. She was quickly dismissed as Toni spoke with the child, himself. Eleonora looked back once more before leaving, and looked over the king's shoulder. She really couldn't help but find him familiar... Not a few days later, Allenstein was said to have had a strange event occur above its skies; with a portal of sorts ripping up over it. The event looked similar to the flashing lights that decimated the Central Kingdom's capital, and within hours, the town was in flames. Evacuations proceeded, with some fearing it was an attack from the West, but even Westerners wouldn't stoop to using strange occult practices. As Eleonora went to the Westward edge of the town, she saw a horrifying scene with the crowd that ensued. A fierce demonic apparition clad in unknown armor was lifting the guard's captain like he was weightless. In the next moment, his head was ripped from his shoulders, causing panic and terror among the whole town. Eleonora, not having her weapons on her, quickly ran for the stables, and undid the lead on her horse. Beginning to leave the town, she remembered about the boy. Stopping the reins, she ran into the guardhouse and promptly unlocked the cell, nearly ripping the boy out of the cell as she just told him they were evacuating. Eleonora lifted him up and got on behind him, wrapping her arms in front of the boy and holding on to the reins. She made sure he was secured and wouldn't fall, and with that, quickly left for Enthiour. Meeting one of her fellow guardsmen on the path, Mikul told her he'd be headed to Tanis to help with the situation, and to make sure the boy would stay in one place in case the king wanted to speak with him. Eleonora took the order, bringing him to a safe haven in Enthiour. She had him stay in a small cottage, looking back at him before she left for Tanis, again. Eleonora could've sworn, on her long journey back that he looked very much like Ser Gregory. That was impossible, though, wasn't it? She thought so after all, since he had no known sons and his only son was deceased. Perhaps she was just thinking about him. The Return of the Black Knights Eleonora was in Tanis after a small event left its walls rendered useless, in which she was going around as other council members were discussing and finalizing the preparations to storm the Black Knights after discovering their whereabouts. What they did not know, however, was that the information attained from Duke Spencer was actually planted in his mind by the knights, themselves. That wasn't their only plan, however, as a suspicious peasant walked over to her while she perused the town. The peasant asked her if she could help her with a task, but upon speaking, Eleonora felt compelled to oblige. Just behind them, another councilor had seen this happen and tried to strike the peasant, with the object only going through the peasant, being an apparition. Eleonora, who was put in a trance, was soon teleported off of the premises and the peasant disappeared, too. Having her armor taken, she was entranced and teleported to the location of a crucible, which was on an iceberg to the North. Having to face the harsh cold and demeaning attitude of the Black Knight leaders, Orwell began the brainwashing process by weakening her resolve. Her hands were restrained and entrapped within two gauntlets stuck in the crucible. After she had been mocked and told to kill her own family, she was weakened greatly as she had the last of her power sucked from her. The crucible was then activated, with a helpless Rosamund unable to remove her hands from it. It was a futile effort, and her memories of knighthood, battles, and family were all erased. She became a mindless thrall who was constantly putting on a nonchalant expression, with her face having slight dark veins showing up behind her cheeks and her eyes looking bloodshot. Being given a plain set of black armor and sent out, she was then sent with the other thralls to ambush the Central forces in the forest. While marching along through the fire spreading in the forest, she went and saw Jayden Karalis - the implanted command to kill Albert and any of his family surfacing. As a squire to him, she recalled him helping to lead the charge and dispatching the first knights, and now his son was to do the same. Unfortunately, she was going up to him without so much as a second thought. Lifting her sword, she lunged at him, not able to take hold, exactly. The other soldiers kept her at bay, with the backs of her legs being cut as she flailed her sword around aimlessly. Eventually, a swift hit to her head with a helmet caused it to go flying off, dazing her as her sword was dropped and she was brought to her knees. Another knight during the battle - as well as an old friend, Daeolin Haem, saw her and tried to rescue her in the hopes of breaking her spell. Since she still fought due to the curse, she was subdued and put on a horse. While the Black Knights made a retreat, she was brought to Enthiour. Unfortunately, the crucible's power was removed after Orwell of the knights was killed. Due to the shift in power and the curse not having an exact controller, the thralls were all purged, and Eleonora died afar shortly after - her mind severed in connection from her body, becoming a mere corpse. Personality Eleonora is the youngest of the knights, and the most recently-appointed one, so she is still a little careless. She's a bit pompous, being a noble, and is sometimes self-absorbed, though she does have a hint of chivalry battered into her mind from her rigorous training. In battle, she may be a bit hesitant to go right into the action, and is good mostly at being supportive in a team. After a series of intense events, Eleonora was saddened for a while, but with her family surrounding her, she's hopeful that they'll overcome hurdles, again. She's a lot less self-centered, and finds more peace when being surrounded by her comrades from knighthood. She's shaping herself to be more of a fearless person in battle if it's for the sake of protecting others, though she's still timid at large-scaled combat in a vulnerable time. Trivia * Eleonora was given the title "Rosamund the Righteous" from her knight, Albert, as he had a title himself and believed that a knight is truly a knight with a name to be known as. * Eleonora is fond of drinking wine, and while she has a tolerance for it, she can tend to drink a bit too much off-duty. * Eleonora didn't have the patience her mother or older sisters did to become herbomancers or priestesses. * Eleonora has had a paintings done of her, here: *